Mukirirehe is a small scale farmer from Uganda. She is a widow and a mother to four children; three daughters and one son. All of her children are married and are now farmers as well. She lost her husband in 1999 and has been able to raise and support all of her children through her farming. Mukirirehe normally grows food crops like maize, cassava, and beans for home consumption, selling off any extra to generate an income.
Fifteen years ago, Mukirirehe began to experience troubling symptoms, including difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath whenever it’s cold, and persistent headaches. Doctors have diagnosed her with a goiter, an abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. Mukirirehe needs surgery to prevent her symptoms from getting worse.
Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare Foundation, is helping Mukirirehe receive treatment. She is scheduled to undergo a thyroidectomy on December 8th at our medical partner’s care center. Surgeons will remove all or part of her thyroid gland. This procedure will cost $252, and she and her family need help raising money.
Mukirirehe shared, “I really have faith and feel that once my surgery goes on well, I will be able to continue with farming and have a new life again.”